Chapter 5 Culture, Management Style, and Business Systems 147 Overall Pace Country Walking 60 Feet Postal Service Public Clocks 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Switzerland Ireland Germany Japan Italy England Sweden Austria Netherlands Hong Kong France Poland Costa Rica Taiwan Singapore United States Canada South Korea Hungary Czech Republic Greece Kenya China Bulgaria Romania Jordan Syria El Salvador Brazil Indonesia Mexico 3 1 5 7 10 4 13 23 2 14 8 12 16 18 25 6 11 20 19 21 14 9 24 27 30 28 29 22 31 26 17 2 3 1 4 12 9 5 8 14 6 18 15 10 7 11 23 21 20 19 17 13 30 25 22 29 27 28 16 24 26 31 1 11 8 6 2 13 7 9 25 14 10 8 15 21 4 20 22 16 18 23 29 24 12 17 5 19 27 31 28 30 26 be late for their next appointments rather than abruptly terminate the conversation before it came to a natural conclusion. P-time is characterized by a much looser notion of being on time or late. Interruptions are routine, delays to be expected. It is not so much putting things off until man˜ana as it is the concept that human activity is not expected to proceed like clockwork. Most cultures offer a mix of P-time and M-time behavior but have a tendency to adopt either more P-time or M-time with regard to the role time plays. Some are simi-lar to Japan, where appointments are adhered to with the greatest M-time precision but P-time is followed once a meeting begins. The Japanese see U.S. businesspeople as too time bound and driven by schedules and deadlines that thwart the easy development of friendships. When businesspeople from M-time and P-time meet, adjustments need to be made for a harmonious relationship. Often clarity can be gained by specifying tactfully, for example, whether a meeting is to be on “Mexican time” or “American time.” An American who has been working successfully with the Saudis for many years says he has learned to take plenty of things to do when he travels. Others schedule appointments in their offices so they can work until their P-time friend arrives. The important thing for the U.S. manager to learn is adjustment to P-time in order to avoid the anxiety and frustration that comes from being out of synchronization with local time. As global markets expand, however, more business-people from P-time cultures are adapting to M-time. For example, the president of Peru instigated a national campaign entitled “La Hora Sin Demora,” or “Time Without Delay,” Exhibit 5.3 Speed Is Relative Rank of 31 countries for overall pace of life combination of three measures: (1) minutes downtown pedestrians take to walk 60 feet, (2) minutes it takes a postal clerk to complete a stamp-purchase transaction, and (3) accuracy in minutes of public clocks. Source: Robert Levine, “The Pace of Life in 31 Countries,” American Demographics, November 1997. Reprinted with permission of Robert Levine.
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